exaggeration

[ig-zaj-uh-rey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of exaggerating or overstating.

2. an instance of exaggerating; an overstatement.

   His statement concerning the size of his income is a gross exaggeration.

Other Word Forms

• nonexaggeration noun
• overexaggeration noun
• self-exaggeration noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of exaggeration¹

1555–65; < Latin exaggerātiōn- (stem of exaggerātiō ), equivalent to exaggerāt ( us ) ( exaggerate ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

It verged on hyperbole—that is to say, wild exaggeration—to call him a “noted expert,” as he was really just a simple country veterinarian.

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Until now, at least, that has been an exaggeration.

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Alas, “The Killing Age” is too marred by error and exaggeration to fulfill its promise.

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It was made into a movie starring Henry Fonda, provoking a backlash from agribusinesses and politicians, who accused Steinbeck of exaggeration or promoting socialism.

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Such exaggerations of scale—both up and down, but mostly up—are a key dynamic in the V&R vision.

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Related Words

• baloney 
• excess 
• fabrication 
• falsehood 
• fantasy 
• hyperbole 
• misjudgment www.thesaurus.com
• misrepresentation 
• untruth